Padlock assembly



March 9, 1965 5. P. PATRIQUIN PADLOCK ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1962 INVENTOR BPafriguin WMTEGMM/ ATTORNEY March 9, 1965 G. P. PATRIQUIN 3,

PADLOCK ASSEMBLY INVENTOR year e]? Parzl um, BY

M fWw ATTORNEY United ateless 3,172,279 PADLGCK ASSEMBLY George P. Patriquin, Gardner, Mass, assignor to Independent Loch ompany, Fitchhurg, Mass, a eerporaration of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 7, 1%2, Ser. No. 235,994 3 Claims. (Cl. lit-38) This invention relates to a padlock assembly, and more particularly to a padlock assembly which may be disassembled into its components for purposes of reforming the tumbler combination thereof.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to an improved padlock assembly of the type described which may be assembled or disassembled without special tools and which does not require costly finishing operations.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a padlock assembly having novel shackle bolt retainer means whereby no part of the elements which retain the shackle within the padlock assembly are visible from outside of the device, and in which the shackle bolt is free of connection with the plug containing core in the unlocked condition of the device.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a padlock device having shackle bolt retaining means of the type described and which permits 360 rotation of the shackle bolt.

In the past, it has been known to provide padlock devices including separable casing portions wherein the plug and casing may be removed as a unit in the open position of the padlock. Such devices and the instant device operate on the principle of providing access to the casing release assembly through the opening provided by the shackle well in the unlocked position of the padlock.

Such heretofore known devices, however, have been complex in their operation, have required careful finishing of the parts, have been difficult to assemble and have, in many instances, retained the shackle bolt within the casing by means of a pin extending laterally into the casing and having an outer end which is flush with the casing and an inner end which extends into a groove on a leg of the shackle 'bolt. Such assemblies are disadvantageous in that since the head of the shackle retainer pin is exposed, the padlock may be compromised by merely drilling out the pin.

'In order to conceal the location of the pin, careful finishing operations were required in that the pin and adjacent portions had to be polished carefully so that the visibility of the line between the pin and the adjacent portions was as inconspicuous as possible. Such finishing operations required skillful workmanship and despite the care 'with which the operations were performed, often failed completely to conceal the location of the shackle retainer pin.

It has been proposed to provide an entirely internal shackle retainer arrangement wherein no part of the re- 'tai'ner assembly is exposed to the outside of the casing.

However, such devices have not been successfully fabricated in connection with a removable casing type assembly 'as herein contemplated. Also, such internally secured shackle bolt assemblies have restricted the freedom of the shackle bolt and have not permitted 360, rotation of the shackle bolt in the open position of the padlock.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved padlock device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a padlock device which may be disassembled by insertion of a pick tool through the open shackle well, which device includes a novel shackle bolt retainer assembly, no part of which is visible to the outside of the casing.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the class described, a novel shackle bolt re- 3,172,279 Patented Mar. 9, I965 taining assembly which permits complete freedom of rotation of the shackle bolt with respect to the casing in the open position of the padlock.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be inexpensively produced, easily assembled and does notr'e'quire careful finishing to conceal the location of the shackle retainer Reference will now be made to the drawings, forming a part hereof, in which' FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the components prior to assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a magnified vertical sectional view of the assembly in the unlocked position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 in the locked position;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2. V

In accordance with the invention, the padlock assembly includes a casing 16 which is hollow and has an opening 11 at the lower end thereof. The upper wall 12 of the casing is provided with spaced parallel apertures 13, 14 for the receipt of the long and short legs 15, 16, respectively, of the shackle 17.

An inner core 13 is insertible endwise through the hollow end 11 of the casing 19, said core including 'a cylindrical bore 1 9 and a quadrant slot 20disposed at the inner end wall 21 of the casing concentrically with the axis of the bore '19 The bore 19 is of a size to rewill be readily understood. The plug 22, with the cam element 25 received in slot 24, is assembled with'the core 18 by sleeving the plug into bore 19.0f the core. An extended tip portion 25a of the cam 25, in the "thus inserted position, lies within the quadrantal guide slot 20 in the core 18, and serves to limit rotation of the plug within the core to the range provided by the slot.

The core 18 is provided with a transverse bore 30 which extends entirely through the core in registry with a portion of the cam member 25. A pair of case-hardened balls 31, 31 is charged into the transverse bore 39 to one side of the cam 25. A single ball 32 'is charged in said bore to the opposite side of said cam member. Inturned ears 30a, 30a, FIGURE 4, limit movement of the balls 31 outwardly of bore 30.

The shackle 17, on its longer leg 15, is provided with a longitudinally extended annular groove 36, defining at the lower and upper limits of said groove radially "extended shoulders 36a, 3617, respectively. The shackle is assembled with the casing by passing the leg 15 through aperture 13 and "thereafter inserting or seating the shackle retainer pin 38 into the annular groove portion 36 of the shackle leg through open end 11 of the casing.

It will be observed that the in sets of greater diameter than the depth of the groove 36, for purposes which will appear hereafter.

With the shackle 17 thus assembled in the c'as'efthe core 18 carrying the assembled plug, carn member and locking balls, may next be sleeved into the casing through the lower end 11 thereof.

For purposes of securing the core in the case and the plug in the core, the coreis provided with a transverse aperture 39,.within which aperture a pan of pins 40, 41 is endwisely inserted. A spring 42 is disposed between the pins as and 41 and biases the same into a spread apart condition.

The casing 10, in a position accessible through the aperture 14 thereof, is provided with a pin retainer niche 43. As will be best seen from FIGURE 3, the retainer niche cooperates with pin 40 which spans the space between the casing and the core, to lock the core within the casing.

It will be understood that in order to insert the core into the casing, the end of pin 40 is manually depressed until the tip 40a of the pin rides along the inner walls of the casing as the core is shifted inwardly to a point where the pin 40 registers with the niche 43. As the registering position is reached, the pin 40 will jump into the niche, preventing removal of the core in an outward direction. It will be observed that the spring 42 urges the pin 40 outwardly into such niche and similarly urges the inner pin 41 into the neck or groove 22a of the plug 22, thus maintaining the plug within the core and the core within the casing.

The leg 15 of shackle 17 is formed with a cylindrical counter-bore portion 44, see FIGURE 2, within which the shackle lift spring 45 is sleeved. A spring retainer stud 46, having a radial shoulder 47, lies telescopically within the shackle leg 15. The ends of the spring 45 are biased, respectively, against the u er end of the bore 44 and the shoulder 47.

Prior to insertion of the shackle 17 and pin 38, as previously described, the spring retainer stud 46 and spring 45 are inserted into the bore 44 and in such inserted position, the stud bears against seat 48 formed in the casing.

As will be readily recognized, the spring 45 will thus tend to raise the shackle 17 to its upward position as shown in FIGURE 2, such upward limiting position being defined by the engagement of the head 38a of pin 38 with the undersurface of top wall 12 of casing In the unlocked position, the cam member 25 lies gen erally normal to the axis of bore 30, as shown in said FIGURE 2. When it is desired to lock the assembly, the shackle is forced inwardly so as to align recessed portions a, 16a of legs 15 and 16 with the opposed ends of the bore 30. With the ends thus aligned and with the key plug 22 rotated to orient the tumbler bores 26 of the plug with the complemental bores 26a of the core, the concomitant rotation of cam 25 will urge the locking balls 31, 32 radially outwardly, into cutouts 16a and 150, respectively. When the key is withdrawn with the balls thus positioned, it will be evident that the cam will maintain the balls in such outwardly disposed position and the shackle will be locked in the position shown in FIGURE 3 until the cam 25 is again rotated by means of a properly fitting key K.

Similarly, when the plug 22 is rotated from the locked position to the position shown in FIGURE 2, the spring 45 will cause the shackle to be shifted upwardly, the following portions of the cutouts 15a, 16a serving to cam the balls 32, 31, respectively, inwardly, and permitting the legs of the shackle to be shifted clear of the casing. Outward movement of the shackle with respect to the case is blocked by engagement of the upper end 38a of shackle retainer pin 38 with the inner surface of the wall 12 of the casing.

It will be noted that in such raised position, the shackle 17 may be rotated through an arc of 360 without interference.

The pin 38 is maintained within the groove 36 formed on leg 15 of the shackle 17 by the generally rounded configuration shown at portion 18a of the core 10.

It will be recognized that the device may be disassembled when the shackle is in the open position shown in FIGURE 2 by inserting a pick tool P through the open shackle wall or aperture 14. The pick tool is engaged with a radial shoulder portion 40b formed on pin 40, said shoulder portion providing an inner seat for the tip of the tool, thereby to permit the pin 40 to be shifted radially inwardly, releasing the pin from the re ceiver niche 43 in the casing. When the pin is thus released, the entire core carrying the plug and its associated mechanism may he slipped clear of the casing.

It will be readily recognized from the above description that assembly of the device may be carried out without the use of special tools and that the device may be disassembled in the open position thereof through the use of a pick tool, pin or a like readily available apparatus.

The novel pin shackle retainer arrangement herein described positively prevents removal in an outward direction of the shackle pin, except when the core has been removed. Moreover, the shackle may be rotated through 360, thus permitting the padlock to be used in a variety of locking situations in which a shackle having a restricted range of rotation could not be employed.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A padlock device comprising a hollow casing member having an open bottom portion and a top wall portion provided with first and second spaced parallel apertures for receipt of the legs of a shackle bolt, a core member insertible endwise into said casing through said open bottom portion, said core member including a cylinder plug rotatably mounted therein, core retainer means interposed between said core and said casing normally blocking movement of said core outwardly of said casing, said retainer means being in registry with said first aperture for actuation by a pick tool inserted through said first aperture, a shackle member having a long leg portion slidably received in said second aperture and a short leg portion, shackle locking means operatively associated with said plug for releasably retaining said short leg in said first aperture, a longitudinally extending annular groove formed on said long leg and having upper and lower radially extending shoulder portions, and a shackle retainer pin seated in said groove with the upper and lower ends of said pin bearing, respectively, against said upper and lower shoulders, said pin being retained in said groove by engagement with portions of said core, said shackle being retained against outward removal in an upward direction with respect to said casing by engagement of the upper end of said pin and said top wall portion.

2. A padlock device comprising a hollow casing member having an open bottom portion and a top wall portion provided with first and second spaced parallel apertures to receive the legs of a shackle bolt, a separable core member insertible endwise into said casing through said open bottom portion, said core member including a cylinder plug rotatably mounted thereon, core retainer means slidably mounted in said core and normally extending into said casing and said plug for retention of said core in said casing and said plug in said core, a portion of said retainer means being in registry with said first aperture for actuation by a pick tool inserted through said aperture, a shackle member having a long leg portion slidably received in said second aperture and a short leg portion shiftable into said first aperture, locking means operatively associated with said plug for releasably retaining said short leg in said first aperture, a longitudinally extending annular groove formed on said long leg and having upper and lower radially extending shoulder portions, a cylindricalshackle retainer pin seated in said groove, said pin having its axis parallel with the axis of said long leg and being of a diameter greater than the depth of said groove, whereby the upper end of said pin is projected laterally beyond the surface of the said long leg of said shackle, said shackle being retained against outward removal through said second aperture by the engagement of said head of said pin with said top wall portion and being rotatable through an arc of 360 in the open position thereof.

3. In a padlock device comprising a hollow casing member having an open bottom portion and a top Wall portion provided with first and second spaced parallel apertures for receipt of the legs of a shackle bolt, and a core member having a lock operating plug therein, said core member being insertible endwise into assembled position within said casing, a shackle and shackle retaining assembly comprising a shackle bolt having a long leg portion extending through one of said apertures, said leg portion being shiftable longitudinally through said aperture, an annular groove formed in said leg portion having upper and lower radially extending shoulder portions, a retainer member seated in said groove for longitudinal movement with said shackle bolt, said retainer member including a portion projecting laterally beyond the side portion of said shackle bolt and in contact with said core, said retainer member being maintained said groove by said shoulder portions and by said core, whereby, upon removal of said core, said retainer mem 6 her will fall free of said groove, said projecting portion, by engagement with said top wall portion of said casing, preventing removal of said boltthrough said aperture while permitting 360 rotation of said shackle bolt about the axis of said leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,824,301 Russell Sept. 22, 1931 1,921,435 Stone Aug. 8, 1933 2,141,748 Hansen Dec. 27, 1938 2,199,336 Fletcher Apr. 30, 1940 2,460,615 Andrew Feb. 1, 1949 3,068,682 Russell et al. Dec. 18, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,951 Australia May 31, 1949 

3. IN A PADLOCK DEVICE COMPRISING A HOLLOW CASING MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN BOTTOM PORTION AND A TOP WALL PORTION PROVIDED WITH FIRST AND SECOND SPACED PARALLEL APERTURES FOR RECEIPT OF THE LEGS OF A SHACKLE BOLT, AND A CORE MEMBER HAVING A LOCK OPERATING PLUG THEREIN, SAID CORE MEMBER BEING INSERTIBLE ENDWISE INTO ASSEMBLED POSITION WITHIN SAID CASING, A SHACKLE AND SHACKLE RETAINING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SHACKLE BLOT HAVING A LONG LEG PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH ONE OF SAID APERTURES, SAID LEG PORTION BEING SHIFTABLE LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH SAID APERTURE, AND ANNULAR GROOVE FORMED IN SAID LEG PORTION HAVING UPPER AND LOWER RADIALLY EXTENDING SHOULDER PORTIONS, A RETAINER MEMBER SEATED IN SAID GROOVE FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT WITH SAID SHACKLE BOLT, SAID RETAINER MEMBER INCLUDING A PORTION PROJECTING LATERALLY BEYOND THE SIDE PORTION OF SAID SHACKLE BOLT AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID CORE, SAID RETAINER MEMBER BEING MAINTAINED WITHIN SAID GROOVE BY SAID SHOULDER PORTIONS AND BY SAID CORE, 